Vancouver

I landed in Vancouver mid afternoon. My friend had a day and a half of work left before her leave started and so I was to spend a day in the big city before heading over to Victoria to meet with her. This first day had beautiful weather... and in the entire trip I had another 2 days of great weather. The other days were filled with patchy rain.

I checked into a HI hostel in the Westend of Vancouver, took a map, and headed to walk off my 20 hours of flight time in Stanley park. It was lovely. It was a Thursday (19 July), and I was astonished how many people were on the beaches. I walked the coast of Stanley park for about half of it, and then cut back through the middle, where some locals introduced me to the edible Salmon berries, and I later found some racoons.

The next morning I bused to the University to check out the museum of Anthropology and learn more about the Canadian indigenous culture (First Nations people). I was great, and I learnt a lot. I was particularly impressed by the construction of bentwood boxes.
Later I took the ferry to Victoria to meet Lauren.

This Laughing men public art exhibition near English Bay Vancouver is a lot of fun!

The First Nations people had big beautiful serving dishes for their feasts.

Bentwood boxes. Steam the timber, cut the corners to be so they will be foldable, and stitch the final join. love it!

4 Star Bed Bugs in Niagara

Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada
28-30 August 2010

   There is a certain irony to backpacking in South America 8 months, staying in cheap accomodation always and then going to a 4 star hotel in Canada (my Mum was staying there as part of a tour) and getting bitten by bed bugs whilst staying in that room. In all of South America I was never once bitten by bed bugs. In fact, it turns out that in 45 countries of travel, much of which has been in the developing world, I have been bitten by bed bugs in Scotland, England, and now in Canada.
   I went to Niagara to meet with my Mum so that we could travel together from that point onwards. I messed  up the dates and arrived a day early, and so spent my first night in a fantastic backpackers hostel (without bed bugs). That was Saturday. On Sunday my friend Mazen from Toronto drove down to have lunch with me and we did the famous Maid of the Mist boat tour into the mist of both of Niagara's falls. It was fun, and great to spend time with an old friend.

This was my second trip to Niagara, but my first on the Maid of the Mist.

There are 2 big falls at Niagara, one completely on the American New York side, the other (this one) straddling the border between NY and Canada. This, I believe, is the more spectacular of the two.

Notes
ACBB Backpackers Hostel, Dorm Bed, Breakfast Included $25. Fantastic Hostel, clean, great info from friendly owner, Great Breakfast, Great location.
Public Bus from Buffalo Airport to Rainbow Bridge Niagara $2.35 (or it seems their is a shuttle service for about $55!)
Maid of the Mist Boat Tour $15.